Word vomit occasionally sprinkled with nuggets of wisdom.

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Monthly Archives: March 2005

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Turns out that the horrid itchy dry skin I’ve had for a month is scabies. Why won’t the insects leave me alone?!

I really hope that this is my cosmic quota of annoying bugs. Two within a year! Honestly! That’s quite enough, thank you. My guess is that the exboyfriend must have picked up the little wonders in South America while he was there over the holidays–buggy sheets, one would assume. Ack.

What sucks about this is that, although I am currently covered in pesticide (because the thought of that isn’t bad enough) is that the rash can stay up to two weeks more! Ugh. I’ve had just about enough itching, thank you very much.

I just took the OkCupid! Politics Test. (click the link) Turns out I’m a socialist. I am both a social and economic liberal and I exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

Duh.

I should really just write this paper so that I can write the next one. And then the one after that. And then the one after that.

Because after I do that, I’ll have two take home finals and a real final…and then I’ll be DONE WITH UNIVERSITY (not) FOREVER!

It’s odd, actually, how this semester has no sense of finality to it for me. I’m just sort of plugging along. I’ll be happy when it’s over–and as I keep saying, I’m very much looking forward to the time off. But I have no sense of ‘This is it. Off into the real world with you. Kiss your beloved academe good bye!’

I guess that’s because I know I shall return…just like the Jedi…mwahahaha! (I guess a Jedi wouldn’t really laugh maniacally like that.)

On a side note, after going to Easter Mass yesterday, I came home and took one of those ‘What religion best suits you’ tests (http://beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html) and of the 27 religions that it compares you against, Roman Catholic was at the very bottom. I’ve taken a few of these tests before and it’s always been at the bottom. Apparently I’d make a better Mormon or Orthodox Jew than I would a Catholic. Go figure. Usually my top religion comes up as Unitarian Universalist. This time, though, that was number two. My top was actually Neo-Pagan. Go figure again. I blame my hippy roommates. 😉 The top five were rounded out by Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism and Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestantism.

Just in case you were curious.

Okay. The Book of the Courtier. Masculinity. The Renaissance. GO TEAM!

Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t get into Michigan…. I can’t believe this. I also read an article this morning about a growing trend of pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions that they feel are against their personal beliefs–i.e., no, you can’t have this birth control pill because I believe that contraception is a sin. I don’t care if you have a note from your doctor.

Doctors or other health care providers could not be disciplined or sued if they refuse to treat gay patients under legislation passed Wednesday by the Michigan House.

The bill allows health care workers to refuse service to anyone on moral, ethical or religious grounds.

The Republican dominated House passed the measure as dozens of Catholics looked on from the gallery. The Michigan Catholic Conference, which pushed for the bills, hosted a legislative day for Catholics on Wednesday at the state Capitol.

The bills now go the Senate, which also is controlled by Republicans.

The Conscientious Objector Policy Act would allow health care providers to assert their objection within 24 hours of when they receive notice of a patient or procedure with which they don’t agree. However, it would prohibit emergency treatment to be refused.

Three other three bills that could affect LGBT health care were also passed by the House Wednesday which would exempt a health insurer or health facility from providing or covering a health care procedure that violated ethical, moral or religious principles reflected in their bylaws or mission statement.

Opponents of the bills said they’re worried they would allow providers to refuse service for any reason. For example, they said an emergency medical technicians could refuse to answer a call from the residence of gay couple because they don’t approve of homosexuality.

Rep. Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor) the first openly gay legislator in Michigan, pointed out that while the legislation prohibits racial discrimination by health care providers, it doesn’t ban discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation.

‘Are you telling me that a health care provider can deny me medical treatment because of my sexual orientation? I hope not,’ he said.

‘I think it’s a terrible slippery slope upon which we embark,’ said Rep. Jack Minore (D-Flint) before voting against the bill.

Paul A. Long, vice president for public policy for the Michigan Catholic Conference, said the bills promote the constitutional right to religious freedom.

‘Individual and institutional health care providers can and should maintain their mission and their services without compromising faith-based teaching,’ he said in a written statement.

…seems to remain in that crazy birth-nation of mine. I’m happy that poor Terri Schiavo is going to be allowed to die. Of course, it would be oh so much more humane if they’d euthanise her. But euthanasia is, of course, bad.

I really wish they’d make a big deal about ‘the culture of life’ and ‘erring on the side of life’ when they go to execute a criminal. Or that they’d seriously take this whole culture of life thing absolutely seriously and promote life for every US citizen…by providing them all with universal health care, thereby ensuring that they can enjoy the best culture of life possible.